“Come aboard….we’re expecting you….”

The other day I was feeling nostalgic and I daydreamed of a time in my childhood when my Saturday nights were spent with mom and the television. Yes, folks, I am speaking of my two favorite childhood shows: The Love Boat and FantasyIsland. If you were too young to date, drive or drink, then Gopher, Doc, Tatoo and the rest of the Love Boat crew were there for you! I would watch with awe and excitement as that ravishing ship sailed to exotic and beautiful locations and Mr. Roarke make everybody’s fantasy come true on that gorgeous island.

I thought of those shows like they were a mini-vacation, an escape from the stresses and tensions of fifth grade. Sometimes my childhood friend Kimmy would spend the night, and mom would break out the popcorn and we would have a ball. Yes, it was a fun and sometimes cheesy television show, but what was it about that grand ship and tropical island that filled me with anticipation and exhilaration every Saturday night? The hopes and dreams of youth?

Perhaps I was just an alienated kid who dreamed way too much? Was it too much television to a child who was raised in the 70’s in a culture that was already way to saturated with media? Who knows and who cares! All I know is that every Saturday night I escaped to this wonderful fantasy land of love, adventure and travel, something I hoped that, when I got older, I would be able to do.

Now, I am not saying that I was raised on television, that mom would plop me down in front of the good old TV when she had to go shopping or meet the neighbor ladies for tea, quite the opposite! I was one of those “outdoorsy” kids, a “tomboy” if you will, who was always outside playing. I was never really terribly interesting in the TV all that much, not even the Saturday morning cartoons. However, when Saturday night rolled around, that was a different story! I was literally swept away by the exquisite beaches, the ocean and that island of fantasy. I guess I just wanted so badly to get out of that little Tennessee town where I grew up, even then I knew I wanted bigger and better things! As fate would have it, I went out and I got them!

Anyway, I was just feeling nostalgic for the olden days, at least back to the 70’s when television was something fun to do. Perhaps one day I will get to travel on the Love Boat with my family and meet the actual Captain Stubing and Gopher…well, it’s just a thought!

I was more of a Saturday morning cartoons kid - heck, my husband and I still watch animated series (Family Guy, American Dad, Moral Orel, Robot Chicken) and we're in our 40's. I know what you mean about looking forward all week to the take-me-away thing. My take-me-away was Little House on the Prairie - I wanted to travel back in time so badly, but in lieu of that, Walnut Grove was a happy compromise.

I adored The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. I think the allure was a combination of personal fantasy (a cruise ship! a magical island!) with the ever present 'lesson' contained within. *laughs*

In a weird way, these were like modern fairy tales. No less pertinent than The Princess and The Pea. When they did a remake of Fantasy Island in the mid 90's, with Malcolm McDowell in the lead role, I loved it!! Darker, yes, but I still believe that's a brilliant concept that will never grow old--Be Careful What You Wish For. *grin*